Spirit-level.



G. BROADMORE.

SPIRIT LEVEL.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 28, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

Kw 19 v 6 wirtmwoeo GRANT BROADMORE, OF BRIGHTON, MICHIGAN.

SPIRIT-LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1911.

Patented Feb. 2%, 1912.

Serial No. 623,811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that 1, GRANT BROADMORE,

, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Brighton, in the county of Livingston and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spirit-Levels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in spirit levels and its object is to provide simple and efficient means for adjusting the spirit tube relative to its straight edge or other support and to provide certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement of parts all as hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is an edge view of a level embodying the invention with parts broken away to show the construction; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is.an enlarged sectional detail in the plane of one of the vertical spirit tubes; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a section in the plane of the horizontal tube; Fig. 5, is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is section on the line 66 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

As shown in the drawing 1 is a suitable bar or straight edge preferably formed of wood with transverse openings 2 near each end serving as hand holds to facilitate the handling of the instrument. Intermediate its ends the bar is provided with a chamber 3 in its upper edge covered by a plate 4 having a sight opening 5. Circular side openings 6 into the chamber 3 are closed by glass disks or lenses 7 held in place by rings 8 of spring wire. At the ends of the chamber 3 round holes 9 and 10 are bored inward from the upper edge of the bar 1 and in the bore 9 is a plug or hearing block 11 formed of any suitable material and held in place by frictional engagement with the bore. This block is provided with a horizontal opening to receive one end of a spirit tube 12. This tube extends horizontally across the chamber 3 and is supported at its opposite end by its engagement with a horizontal opening in a bearing block 13 formed of any suitable material in the bore 10. This block is supported in its bore by coiled spring 14 within the lower end of the bore, and the upper end of the bore is closed by a wood screw 15 engaging the upper end of the block 13. An opening 27 in the cover plate 4 above the screw 15 permits of the insertion of a screw-driver for turning the screw so that it may be adjusted in or out to move the block 13 and raise or lower one end of the spirit level to adjust the same relatively to its straight edge. A glass plate 16 covers the chamber 3 and closes the opening 5 in the plate 4. The spirit tube 12 is thus inclosed within the chamber 3 in a position where it may be readily seen through the openings 5 and 6 and is supported in such a manner that it may be quickly and easily adjusted to bring it in proper relation to the upper edge of the bar 1.

Midway between each end of the bar 1 and its center chamber 3 is a transverse hole forming a chamiz-"fz' 17 and the outer ends of each of these chambers are closed by glass disks or lenses 18 held in place by spring wire rings 19. Each chamber 17 is cut through by a vertical hole 20 bored inward from the upper edge of the bar 1 and within the lower end of the bore 20 is a bearing block 21 of any suitable material having a hole to receive the lower end of a spirit tube 22. This spirit tube extends upward across the chamber 17 and is adjustably supported at its upper end by its engagement with a bearing block 23 formed of any suitable material provided with a hole 24 to receive the end of the tube. This hole 24 is formed eccentrically of the block, said block being cylindrical in form and fitting within a chamber or bore in the inner end of a plug 25 which is externally screwthreaded to engage the bore 20. The bearing block 23 fits tightly within the chamber of the screw plug so that when said plug is turned the block will also be turned and thus the upper end of the spirit tube will be adjusted laterally owing to the eccentric position of the hole 24 in the block. The spirit tubes 22 may therefore be quickly and easily adjusted relatively to the straight edge by turning the screw plugs 25.

Upon each of the spirit tubes is a spring clip or ring 26 held in place thereon by the spring action of the clip which may be formed of a short piece of spring wire. These split rings or clips may be adjusted along the tubes as desired to indicate the position in which the bubble in the tube should be when the straight edge is in a certain position. By setting the straight edge at the desired angle and then adjusting the clip to the position taken by the bubble when the straight edge is so adjusted, the clip will indicate that desired angle of inclination at any time thereafter.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is 1. In a spirit level, the combination of a straight edge formed with a circular chamber extending therethrough and a bore ex tending inward from one face of the straight edge and cutting through the chamber, a spirit tube extending across the chamber with its ends within the bore, a bearing block for the tube in the inner end of the end of the bore and having an axial chamber in its inner end, a bearing block fitting within said chamber to turn with the plug and provided with an opening to receive the end of the spirit tube, which opening is formed eccentrically to the axis of said plug.

3. In a spirit level, the combination of a straight edge provided with a chamber extending therethrough and a bore extending inward from one face of the straight edge and cutting through the chamber, lehses for closing the outer ends of the chamber, a spirit tube within the bore and extending across the chamber, a bearing block in the inner end of the bore and having an opening to receive the end of the tube, a screw plug in the outer end of the bore and having an axial chamber in its inner end, and a bearing block within said chamber eccentrically engaging and holding the outer end of the tube.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GRANT BROADMORE.

Witnesses ANNA C. RAVILER,

G. E. MOGRANN.

Copies of this patent may be qbjtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G. 

